The present invention is directed to methods of enhancing food products. Specifically, the present invention is directed to methods of enhancing the puffing characteristics of microwaveable food products such as potatoes, mung beans, wheat, corn, soy beans, rice and rice powders, tapioca, bean starches and starches from other food products and food products obtained therefrom.
The market for microwaveable snacks focuses on popcorn which the consumer can easily prepare by xe2x80x9cpoppingxe2x80x9d a bag of popcorn immersed in butter flavored oil and salt in the microwave for 2 to 4 minutes. The basis for popping is the retention of moisture in the corn, which xe2x80x9cexplodesxe2x80x9d in the microwave with a popping sound and thereby xe2x80x9cgelatinizesxe2x80x9d the carbohydrates in an expanded state.
There are many known processes for preparing microwaveable snack products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,772 issued to Wilbur (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cthe ""772 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses microwaveable poppable pellets and their methods of preparation. The ""772 patent discloses that a disadvantage associated with substituting puffable pellets for popcorn in the microwave snack is the lack of a sound cue to indicate completion of the microwave-heating step. Thus, a consumer would have to rely on visual cues to determine the completion of the microwave-heating step. The ""772 patent addresses this problem, however, the microwave snacks prepared according to the ""772 patent resemble that of popcorn kernels. Food products prepared from known processes such as the process disclosed by the ""772 patent lack preferred microwaveability and puffing characteristics.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,552, issued to Kershamn, et al. (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cthe ""552 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses microwaveable snacks that include a mixture of popcorn and expandable or puffable food pellets. The ""552 patent provides that several microwaveable products such as simulated popcorn and cheese-coated puffed snacks have not been available to consumers because of the difficulties experienced with heating these products in a microwave and the lack of a viable product due to the fact that puffable pellets do not expand uniformly and result in undesirable starch material which is part burned, part unpuffed and potentially under-cooked. Food products from known processes such as that disclosed by the ""552 patent do not solve the fundamental problem of puffing pellets uniformly without combining popcorn and lack preferred puffing characteristics.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of preparing microwaveable food products wherein the microwaveable food product has enhanced microwaveability and puffing characteristics including uniform puffing characteristics with a popping sound cue to indicate completion of the microwave-heating step.
It has been unexpectedly found that adding acidic or salty seasonings to puffable food products during their preparation into microwaveable food products enhances the microwaveability and puffing characteristics of the expanded food product.
In particular, the present invention is directed to a method for preparing a food product having enhanced microwaveability and puffing characteristics. The method includes providing a food product mixture containing at least one food product and water, adding at least one seasoning to the mixture and preparing the mixture into an expandable composition. The expandable composition has a moisture content in the range of from about 1% to about 20% by weight of the composition.
Preferably, the moisture content of the composition is from about 8% to about 15% by weight of the composition. Even further preferably, the moisture content of the composition is from about 8% to about 12% by weight of the composition. Most preferably, the moisture content of the composition is about 12%.
Further, it is contemplated that several food products can be used in the method of the present invention. Such food products include, but are not limited to, potatoes, mung beans, wheat, corn, soy beans, rice and rice powders, tapioca, bean starches and starches from other food products. Preferably, the food product is 100% potato starch.
It is also contemplated that several different seasonings can be used in the method of the present invention. Preferably, the seasoning is selected from the group including salt, vinegar, barbeque seasoning, nacho seasoning, sour cream and onion seasoning, sweet and sour seasoning, sweet seasoning, hot and spicy seasoning, chicken flavor seasoning, savory flavor seasoning, MSG, HVP, Yeast Autolysates and flavor reaction products.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the food product mixture includes a second food product. Preferably, the second food product is also selected from the group including potatoes, mung beans, wheat, corn, soy beans, rice and rice powders, tapioca, bean starches and starches from other food products.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a second seasoning is added to the food product mixture. Preferably, the second seasoning is also selected from the group including salt, vinegar, barbeque seasoning, nacho seasoning, sour cream and onion seasoning, sweet and sour seasoning, sweet seasoning, hot and spicy seasoning, chicken flavor seasoning, savory flavor seasoning, MSG, HVP, Yeast Autolysates and flavor reaction products.
The present invention also provides for another method for preparing a food product having enhanced microwaveability and puffing characteristics including providing a food product mixture containing at least one food product and water, adding at least one seasoning to the mixture and preparing the mixture into an expandable composition having a moisture content in the range of from about 12% to about 14% by weight of the composition.
Another method for preparing a food product having enhanced microwaveability and puffing characteristics of the present invention includes providing a food product mixture containing at least one food product and water, adding a combination of two or more seasonings to the mixture and preparing the mixture into an expandable composition. The expandable composition has a moisture content in the range of from about 1% to about 20% by weight of the composition.
The combination of seasonings added to the food product mixture can include several seasonings selected from the group including salt, vinegar, barbeque seasoning, nacho seasoning, sour cream and onion seasoning, sweet and sour seasoning, sweet seasoning, hot and spicy seasoning, chicken flavor seasoning, savory flavor seasoning, MSG, HVP, Yeast Autolysates and flavor reaction products.
Accordingly, the present invention, unlike other inventions related to expandable food products, provides for producing uniformly puffable pellets without using expansion additives such as flavors, salt and baking soda, etc., but still obtains uniform puffability in a standard popcorn bag or the like. The present invention, however, also provides for preferred mouthfeel, texture and taste by mixing seasonings within the starch matrix whereas processes which provide for greater expandability do not always result in better mouthfeel, texture and taste. In particular, the combination of seasonings such as salt, vinegar, barbeque seasoning, nacho seasoning, sour cream and onion seasoning, sweet and sour seasoning, sweet seasoning, hot and spicy seasoning, chicken flavor seasoning, savory flavor seasoning, MSG, HVP, Yeast Autolysates and flavor reaction products are added to the starch matrix resulting in microwaveable snacks having preferred mouthfeel, texture and taste. Therefore, the present invention relates not only to methods of uniformly enhancing the expansion of food products with a popping sound but also to food products having preferred puffing characteristics and improved mouthfeel, texture and taste prepared by such methods.
The following examples are provided to assist in further understanding the present invention. The particular materials and conditions employed are intended to be further illustrative of the invention and are not limiting upon the reasonable scope thereof.